UKH

I'm looking at going to go ice climb /mountaineering for a week in Feb next year and tatras look good and a bit different. Ive found the tatry website http://www.tatry.nfo.sk/vthse.php which has some info but are there any guides or other sites people can suggest.

The plan would be fly to Popgrad, hire car, and then base ourselves in one of the huts. Anyone got suggestions about good (and bad) huts. Areas worth a look etc.

For your info I am looking up to Gr V Scottish equivalent D+ type routes and for somewhere where we will not be queueing with the crowds.

Thanks

In reply to Andy Syme:

The Polish side is pretty good and there are fewer restrictions on climbing in Poland than Slovakia. We stayed in the Morskie Oko area which has a lovely hut run by a lovely woman who speaks good english so you can give them a call to book.

I would avoid national holiday periods as they are very busy and prices go up to accomodate that!

I can't help you Re Slovakia other than that.

We flew to Krakow and got the bus to Zakopane. you can then get buses to the trails that lead you to the Huts.

The food is awesome and the polish people are fantastic and welcoming, not to mention hard as hobnail boots!

In reply to Andy Syme:

Here's a useful link- enjoy

http://www.trekking.com.pl/guiding/index.php?czytaj=60

In reply to Andy Syme:

Just had a better look round the trekking com pl site. If you scroll half way down the home page there are a bunch of links in English.

http://www.trekking.com.pl/

In reply to Andy Syme:

Sent you info regarding Tatra logistics , topos , etc..via email.
Contact me through Ukc , if you have any more questions.

In reply to Chris Beck:

Thanks Christian, will look through that and sure there will be some follow on questions.

And thanks everyone else, very helpful.

Just need to persuade my mates it will be more interesting than the Dolomites which the recent UKC article has triggered.

In reply to Andy Syme:


Apologies for causing problems

In reply to James Rushforth:

No probs James. Maybe I can build a case with the Missus that I need to do both

In reply to Andy Syme:

You could try the guides office in Stary Smokovec (in Slovakia), for info on routes. There doesn't seem to be much, but it's worth a try. The tatras are fab.

In reply to Andy Syme:

I have been to both Dolomites and Hight Tatra in winter and must admit that Dolomites are far much better and more interesting. The only real benefit of Tatra is the price tag.

In Tatra it's useful to have skies, it will save a bit of time getting to climbs and getting back. Expect deep snow outside of marked paths. Where's only one cable car in Tatra. From Kuznice to Kasprowy Wierch. It's better to book it on the web page, so you can get throw fast track gates. Otherwise you may end up in queue for few hours.

In reply to Andy Syme:

I'm afraid it's only going to get worse as i'm about to submit an article about the Sottoguda gorge aswell, so James article will be bolstered by that. Soz. There are some excellent high mountain ice routes there too...

In reply to Andy Syme:

Hi. I'm a guy from Poland, so I can give you some advice. The best month for winter climbing is usualy March. I recommand a flight to Krakow and a bus to Zakopane. Areas:
1) Morskie Oko. One of the best winter climbing spots in Europe. Check this pictures: http://forum.turystyka-gorska.pl/viewtopic.php?t=9684 Some general info: http://topo.uka.pl/content/english/morskie_oko/morskie_oko_e.php
2) Hala Gasienicowa. http://www.goryonline.com/gory,12772,i.html smaller and usualy easier faces.
3) Slovakia. Longer distances big faces and without a guide it can be dificult.

When there are good climbing conditions, The Tatras are MUCH more intresting then Dolomites. Be prepare for grass climbing like in Scotland (warthogs!). Generaly climbing is like in Scotland - but more interesting and on bigger walls

Summer climbing in The Tatras is crapy...

There are good polish IVBV guides. If you want them – mail me and I will sen you details.

In reply to Andy Syme:

I have to agree with edek. The Tatras are way better than the dolomites. Like small alps or big Scotland!

In reply to redsonja: Eh? I take it you know about the high mountain stuff in the Dolomites which is like small Alps or large Scotland?

In reply to beardy mike:

I have been to both and much prefer the tatras. That's just my opinion. Obviously, you prefer the dolomites. Have you been to the Tatras?

In reply to redsonja:

No I've not. Just a liitle perplexed by the your statement implying that theres not stuff in the Dolomites which is of the same scale, which quite blatently there is, and plenty of it. Maybe. I'm misreading the comment?

In reply to beardy mike:

yes, totally misreading it. what I said was the tatras are better, which, in my opinion they are.

In reply to redsonja:

Well ok, why are they better? Genuinely interested, as the Dolomites has some fantastic ice climbing!

In reply to beardy mike:

The tatras have awesome mixed climbing and I just love them. That's my own personal feeling. You should go and have a look for yourself. I'm not saying the Dolomites aren't great- just that I like the Tatras better. I can have a different opinion to you can't I?

In reply to redsonja:

Oh ffs don't get touchy. I'm only trying to learn from your opinion, as it genuinely interests me what people find more appealing as a holiday destination, seeing as I run a business supplying people with accomodation in you know where. I haven't got the foggiest what type of climbing you experienced in the Dolomites, whether it was mixed, cascade ice, high mountain ice etc. and so hoped you might expand on your opinion. Just saying something is better doesn't tell one much does it...

Yours,
Hopefull of Hablock.

In reply to beardy mike:

why don't you should start your own thread asking people what they like best? as this is of no help to the Op who asked for help planning a trip to the tatras

In reply to beardy mike:
More precisely: IN WINTER Dolomites are great for ice climbing, drytooling on short routes and for skiing/ freeriding. In The Tatras there are only few icefalls (which don’t form fully very often) and skiing is average. But in the Tatras you have mix climbing on relatively big faces (900 m!), adventure climbing on vertical grass, alpine routes, trad mix difficult climbing. And what’s more – you can find (if you want) relatively compact rock (granite) there. In The Dolomites mixt climbing on big faces is rare.
So: for nice civilised holiday – Dolomites, for alpine adventures with vodka and interesting weird food in the huts – Tatras.
BUT one important note: As The Tatras are similar (a bit) to Scotland, the weather and conditions are changing. And avalanche risk sometimes is high, so you have to wait or know the area to avoid avalanches. So the best is to:
1) Come here for at least two weeks and to find some support of local climbers. Polish and Slovaks LOVE British climbers (probably because they climb on frozen grass, what is strange), so company and logistic support will be for sure! And drinking together! OR:
2) Take a guide. With his help one week can be usually enough.

Check this: vimeo.com/109003444 this is in Slovak part of Tatras
vimeo.com/121002590 and this as well.
youtube.com/watch?v=K2N_CE4hUm8& this is Morskie Oko in Poland
http://wspinanie.pl/film/tomka-klimczaka-i-tow-zimowe-wspinanie-w-tatrach also Poland (mostly Morskie Oko)

Of course in Summer The Tatras can’t be compared to The Dolomites. At all.

In reply to edek_w:

Ah ok... Thanks for that! It does look good. So its more about the style of climbing than the actual quality and the overall experience. I guess that makes some sense. I'm planning on starting to look for more of that style climbing int he area we work in, but I guess thats still going to be a fairly personal experience. It IS becoming much more common to find high mountain face routes in the Dolomites, but you're right, its never going to be like what you're showing. However, there is a growing area in the Lagorai which is west of the Pala which is a granite area and scottish/polish mixed style routes are going up, which is great... A really wild and undiscovered area!